Our Vision

Mission:

The Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center will preserve, promote and perpetuate the sacrifice, service, and leadership of the Black Officers of World War I, the Women’s Army Corp (WAC) of World War II, and all others whose lives have been connected to Fort Des Moines.

Vision:

The Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center will fulfill its mission by perpetuating the legacy of leadership training and development conducted at the Fort since 1903. Utilizing Museum archives and collections, creating exhibits and traveling displays, and offering innovative leadership programming, the Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center will build on the remarkable history of the Fort, educating and inspiring a new generation of leaders to impact the world. The Museum believes that inspiring others to change the world honors all those associated with Fort Des Moines, veterans and civilians, who once served at the Fort. sacrifice, service and leadership of the Black Officers of World War I, the Women’s Army Corp (WAC) of World War II, and all others whose lives have been connected to Fort Des Moines.

Values:

Leadership development is, and always has been, the heart of Fort Des Moines. As such, the values of the Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center reflect the same values taught to those leaders previously trained at Fort Des Moines.

  • Loyalty — The Museum acts in good faith to carry out the mission, vision, and values of the Fort Des Moines Museum and Education Center. We are tireless advocates for the Museum.

  • Duty — We are dedicated to honoring all those who have served at Fort Des Moines by preserving and promoting their stories, their collected archives, and the historic property owned by the Museum. It is our duty to ensure their story is remembered.

  • Respect — The Museum treats all members, patrons, visitors, and others associated with the Museum with dignity and esteem.

  • Selfless Service — The Museum strives to develop and inspire new leaders to give their time and talent to impact their community in a positive way.

  • Honor — The stories of the men and women who served at Fort Des Moines are the cornerstone of our actions from which all other efforts are built.

  • Integrity — We demonstrate integrity by taking actions that fulfill our commitments, honor our word, and demonstrate sound financial stewardship of Museum resources in a transparent manner.

  • Personal Courage — History can be uncomfortable and controversial. The Museum is dedicated to telling our story based on the most reliable historical record available.

“In the years to come when the chronicler of history starts out again to mark the milepost along the world’s highway of civil and religious freedom, … he will point to Fort Des Moines, in A.D. 1917, and tell how more than a thousand young Colored men fitted themselves in three short months under Colonel Charles C. Ballou to meet the responsibility of twenty years of ordinary training and went forth as officers of the Colored fighting force of the United States of America to help save liberty of all the people of the world”

— Quote Source: George H. Woodson (1865-1933), lawyer, politician, activist, and founder of the National Bar Association (1925) predicting the national historical significance of Fort Des Moines in 1917.